Curriculum Vitae

Lawrence Eng

Contact Information

Current Employment

Previous Employment

• 2005: Teaching assistant / section instructor for "Information in History and Society". Department of Science and Technology Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
  
  
• 2005: Summer research assistant for Prof. Ron Eglash, researching mathematics and culture, and producing related webpages: http://www.ccd.rpi.edu/Eglash/csdt/na/weavework/ and http://www.ccd.rpi.edu/Eglash/csdt/na/rugweaver/. Department of Science and Technology Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
  
  
• 2005: Site Director of Computers for Kids, an annual summer program designed to teach teenagers how to refurbish computers and use productivity software (Troy, NY)
  
  
• 2004: Director and Software Instructor for Computers for Kids; see above (Troy, NY)
  
  
• 2004: Teaching assistant / section instructor for "Leadership". Department of Science and Technology Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
  
  
• 2003: Research assistant for Prof. Ron Eglash, researching graffiti culture and ethnomathematics, and producing http://www.ccd.rpi.edu/Eglash/csdt/subcult/grafitti/. Department of Science and Technology Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
  
  
• 2003: Assistant Director and Software Instructor for Computers for Kids; see above (Troy, NY)
  
  
• 2003: Teaching assistant / section instructor for "Leadership". Department of Science and Technology Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
  
  
• 2002: Teaching assistant / section instructor for "Professional Development: Leadership in a Technological World". Department of Science and Technology Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
  
  
• 2000: Teaching assistant for "MCB 120L: Biochemistry Laboratory". Section of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis (Davis, CA)
  
  
• 1998: Laboratory technician for Prof. Robert Turgeon. Department of Plant Biology, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
  
  
• 1995-1998: Assistant instructor for the Shaolin Kung Fu Association at Cornell (Ithaca, NY)

Education

• PhD in Science and Technology Studies
  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
  August, 2006
  

  Description: My primary research interests included (postmodern) youth subcultures, strategies of cultural resistance involving the appropriation of technology and science, public understandings of science, and the sociology of youth violence. I conducted ethnographic fieldwork as part of my 'otaku studies' research, focusing most heavily on the development and nature of the fan cultures/communities surrounding Japanese mass media products--especially animation and comics.

  Dissertation Title: Otaku Engagements: Subcultural Appropriations of Science and Technology

  Dissertation Committee: Ron Eglash (chair), Rayvon Fouche, Linda Layne, Langdon Winner, and Patrick Carroll

• MS in Plant Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology
  University of California, Davis (Davis, CA)
  December, 2000
  

  Principal Investigator: Clark Lagarias

  Exam Committee: Judy Callis, Abhaya Dandekar, and Bo Liu

• BS in Biology: Plant Biology-Botany and Plant Biotechnology
  Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
  January, 1998
  
  
• High School Diploma
  Seoul International School (Seoul, Korea)
  June, 1994
  

Honors and Awards

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Fellowship (2006)
  
  
• Graduate School Fellowship, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2001-2002)
  
  
• National Science Foundation Plant Cell Biology Training Grant Fellowship, UC Davis (1998-2000)
  
  
• Edward J. Wickson Memorial Scholarship (block grant), UC Davis (1998-1999)
  
  
• Henry A. Jastro Fellowship, UC Davis (1999)
  
  
• Dean's List, Cornell University (Fa 1994, Sp 1995, Sp 1997, Fa 1997)
  
  
• Sargent & Lundy Centennial Scholarship (1994)
  
  
• Seoul Post Society of American Military Engineers Scholarship (1994)
  
  
• Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction, The College Board (1994)
  
  
• Valedictorian, Seoul International School (1994)

Publications

Eng, Lawrence. 2008. "The Fans Who Became Kings" in Ga-Netchū! Das Manga Anime Syndrom (exhibition catalog for Anime! High Art - Pop Culture).

Eng, Lawrence. 2007. "Understanding the Evolution of the Otaku Concept". Success Stories: Japan. March 2007: 5-8.

Eng, Lawrence. 2006. Otaku Engagements: Subcultural Appropriations of Science and Technology (Doctoral dissertation, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2006). Proquest No. AAT 3232607: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?did=1221726101&Fmt=7&clientId=79356&RQT=309&VName=PQD.

Eng, Lawrence. 2006. "Otaku" in Contemporary Youth Culture: An International Encyclopedia. Shirley Steinberg, Priya Parmar, and Birgit Richard, editors. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Eng, Lawrence. 2005. "Anime" in the Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia (http://gme.grolier.com/). Scholastic Library Publishing, Inc.

Eng, Lawrence. 2005. "Manga" in the Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia (http://gme.grolier.com/). Scholastic Library Publishing, Inc.

Academic Presentations

"Otaku Engagements: Subcultural Appropriation of Science and Technology". Doctoral dissertation defense at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Troy, NY (July 25th, 2006)

"Discovering Otaku". Guest lecture in "Information in History and Society", an undergraduate course at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Troy, NY (October 17th, 2005)

"Otak-who? Technoculture, youth, consumption, and resistance. American representations of a Japanese youth subculture." Presented at the 26th Annual Meeting of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on November 7-9, 2002. I presented my paper on November 8th in a panel entitled "Mediating Marginality: Technological Subcultures at the Intersections of Labor, Design, and Identity."

Invited Talks

"The International Evolution of the Otaku Concept: Otaku culture in Japan and the United States". Distinguished Lecturer's Series, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of North Texas. Denton, TX (April 12th, 2007)

"The Otaku Phenomenon". Japan Society. New York, NY (July 6th, 2005)

"Fanatics, Cuties & Geeks: The Otaku Phenomenon & its Impact Abroad". With Robert DeJesus, Ed Halter, and moderated by Thomas Looser. Japan Society. New York, NY (June 9th, 2005)

"The otaku phenomenon: from Japan to America". Nichibei Exchange. New York, NY (June 8th, 2005)

"Anime Night". With James Kao. Locus 1640 Post. San Francisco, CA (July 25th, 2001)

Panel Discussions

"serial experiments lain". Anime Punch! 2008 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Anime and the Internet". Anime Punch! 2008 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Otaku Studies". Anime Punch! 2008 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Anime in Academia". Anime Punch! 2008 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Otaku as Viewed by Media/Normals". Anime Punch! 2008 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Gainax". Anime Punch! 2008 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Gainax (Pre-Eva)". Anime Punch! 2007 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Shonen Manga". Moderator. Anime Punch! 2007 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Otaku Studies: What it means to be an otaku and why it's important". Anime Punch! 2007 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Anime in Academia". Anime Punch! 2007 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Round Table Discussion: Anime". Anime Punch! 2007 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Visiting Japan, Anime Style". Original concept and planning. Otakon 2006 (Baltimore, MD)

"Otaku Studies: The Importance of Being Otaku". Anime Punch! 2006 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Shounen Manga". Moderator. Anime Punch! 2006 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Gainax". Anime Punch! 2006 (Columbus, Ohio)

"Anime, Manga, and Fandom in Academia". Moderator. Anime Punch! 2006 (Columbus, Ohio)

"The Evolution of Otaku (from Japan to America and beyond)". Japanese Culture Day 2005, hosted by the Anime Gamers Alliance at SUNY Albany (Albany, NY)

"Why is Anime So Cool? Otaku in America - Panel Discussion for Teens". Moderator. Japan Society. New York, NY. (June 11th, 2005)

"Academic Anime". Anime Weekend Atlanta 2003 (Atlanta, GA)

"Anime in Academia". Otakon 2003 (Baltimore, MD)

"Academic Study of Anime, Manga, and Fandom". Anime Expo New York / Big Apple Anime Fest 2002 (New York, NY)

"Academic Study of Anime, Manga, and Fandom". Anime Expo 2002 (Long Beach, CA)

"serial experiments lain". Anime Expo 2001 (Long Beach, CA)

Credits

Contributed exhibition pieces to the Anime! High Art - Pop Culture exhibit at the Deutsches Filmmuseum in Frankfurt, Germany (2008)

Contributed research and materials to the Game Show at Otakon 2007 (organized by the Cornell Japanese Animation Society)

Contributed research and archive materials to "Otaku Unite" (2004), a documentary by Eric Bresler. Central Park Media. 2006

Contributed research to the Serial Experiments lain Ultimate Fan Guide. Lucien Soulban, editor. Guardians of Order, Inc. 2001

Miscellaneous Activities

Invited Guest at Anime Punch! 2008 in Columbus, Ohio

Invited Guest at Anime Punch! 2007 in Columbus, Ohio

Invited Guest at Anime Punch! 2006 in Columbus, Ohio

Founder of the Anime and Manga Research Circle (2002-present), an international community of scholars studying anime and manga, their associated (sub)cultures worldwide, and Japanese popular culture in general. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amrc-l/)

Treasurer and founding member of the Shaolin Kung Fu Association at Cornell (1995-1998)

Active member of CJAS, the Cornell Japanese Animation Society (1994-1998)